Questions for Cronin

An MLHS staffer will be interviewing assistant coach of the Leafs Greg Cronin in the next few days. While we have a lineup of questions already, we’ll take the best couple of reader-submitted inquiries and try to work them into the interview as well. Throw yours in the comments.

Alec Brownscombe is the founder of MapleLeafsHotStove.com, where he has written daily about the Leafs since September of 2008. He was also the editor of the 2009-12 Maple Leafs Annuals. You can contact him at [email protected]

So if Rielly returns to junior after nine games (and he should--the notion that he has 'nothing more to learn' there at age 19 is silly), is it possible that Granberg and Brennan are both on the team? If so, what are the pairings? (I'm assuming Liles is history.)

Where does Colborne fit on this team? I am getting a little sick of seeing these projected opening night lineups with Colborne playing on the 4th line. Are we giving up on him as 2-3 center? Is he supposed to be a shutdown guy now? Even if you use the argument that Carlyle will be rolling the lines it does pretty much guarantee less ice time and pretty much stunting his development. Are we going to put him on the wing? Or is he going down to the minors? Or are Leafs management fucking his development by keeping him here?

And again, I would dress 7D every night. So someone on the bottom 4 takes a seat every night. I think Granberg has a good chance if only because he plays the right side. Of course, he will have competition from Holzer and Blacker though.

What's his overall ability look like, what about his skating, positional play, vision, passing? Can he hit, does he play physical, does he win battles? Much appreciated. He should be physically impressive given his age of 23.

@Xxxxxnew Would have been nice to have the option of sending him there, though, if things don't work out with the big club. Is the theory that he wouldn't clear waivers anyway? Still a hard move to figure...

@Komas Taberle@maximus_asinus I don't see how that is a sweet spot? He would be looking at multiple nights playing less than 8 minutes a game. Sure they can rotate lines but someone has to be the odd man out.

Not sure about the mechanics, I don't think that signing was over-analyzed. I just heard Nonis answer a question in one of the videos posted on Leafs.com something to the effect that they weren't thinking about the Marlies when they signed him.

That might be just a touch of exaggeration, as I have seen him motivated to throw his body around on occasion - but it's certainly not his natural disposition.

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I wonder if they might be hoping to get him some prime shifts in Kadri's sheltered role from last year on occasion - especially when injuries occur. Get him drawing some attention and make him a nice trade asset.

That's right, Colborne is the opposite of physical. He is almost amazingly soft for his size. It really stands out when you watch him. It's not uncommon for people to comment on that aspect of his (lack of) character when he's playing.

Northeast is even tougher this year (!) and he dressed two last year so hopefully the same compliment of toughness along with Fraser to sure up the back end. Remember, we did lose Mike Brown mid way through the season and if you recall the Newbury fight you know that was a mjor loss of toughness that I don't think is replaced by Clark-son. So both of the bombers it is.

And he can fight well. And that doesn't get mentioned often in the anti-fighting internet blogger/journalist community but our coach thinks it's very important and so does the fan base that actually attends the games as do the announcers and Don Cherry.

Recall when Oreskovitch (sp?) started in with hard right hands on Kadri out of a scrum I believe - it was Fraser who bailed the young man out. That play was roundly applauded.

I also particularly appreciated when Fraser dealt wih McQuaid and also Prust during the season. The Crombeen and Aulie fights were also memorable though his AHL bouts were the most impressive (he got stage fright in the N and at times during the playoffs IMO).

@Dan39@Mattmark@Cameron19 We traded up to get him, you'll recall. Bizarre decision! Chances are we would have got him anyway--I don't think he was that much in demand--and had a second shot at someone else. Even if we hadn't, two-to-one is pretty good odds.

@Mattmark@Cameron19@Dan39 I saw Granberg at the Worlds, he was a beast shutting down the likes of Stamkos and the rest of team Canada, Team USA. Once this guy gets used to the small ice surface he is going to be deadly.

@Cameron19@Mattmark@Dan39 I don't evaluate on the basis of accounts. Every time I've seen him play his turns have been wide, his reactions slow, and his ability to anticipate where the puck is going non-existent or well-disguised. Very much a work in progress compared with other prospects, IMO.

@Mattmark@Dan39 We could have done better, but I've never heard that complaint about Biggs By pretty much all accounts he's a very good skater, especially for his size. The knock on him has typically been a lack of offensive instinct.

@Dan39 I've said more or less the same thing... I'm still waiting to be impressed. Biggs looks slow and awkward, but any suggestion that we could have done better with that pick is not well received here. ;-)

Yeah, it's hard to comprehend. But if you're really cynical, y could say that he played a great season and lined himself up for a free agent pay day. In fact, he could put in another great season and still do that. I don't think that's the case - never did - but that's the only way I understand it.

I've heard Moose Jaw will be a better team but we'll see. My thinking was the Marlies would be perfect for him but the rules are the rules. Toronto's AHL system is first class but I can understand why the league and probably parents dont want teenagers shipped off to dodgy cities in another country like Syarcuse or Albany.

I didn't think he was bad in his own end either. I said he looked like he still had stuff to learn in his own end. Same thing Eakins said when he was with the Marlies. Not sure the ACC is the best place for that type of on the jib training. Jake had the same habit, playing the puck without paying as much attention to his man.

@Xxxxxnew I watched these games as well. He was head and shoulders above everyone else on the ice, IMo. In Victoria, he just played steady for the first two periods, then came out and dominated the third to earn the comeback win. Then, I thought he dominated in the Vancouver game, again, when he felt like turning it up. His team were flat in large portions of both games, but I didn't think Rielly was bad in his own end, no more than anyone would when at times at this level, on a mediocre junior, there's often a comedy of errors taking place from shift to shift.

@Xxxxxnew I don't think they will have Rielly in the opening night lineup. I have to think Leaf management will be playing for the playoffs, therefore playing the best players. Maybe if the Leafs hit the trade deadline and they aren't in a playoff position he will be played.